Origins and Consequences of Childhood Gender Segregation: Toward an Integrative Developmental Systems Model

Leaper, Campbell

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-84273-4_6

Cited by 5 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 189 publications

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“…Prior studies suggested that older children were less positive toward gender nonconformity than younger children (Blakemore, 2003; Carter & McCloskey, 1984; Kwan et al, 2020; Nabbijohn et al, 2020). The decrease in positivity may be related to the increase in gender segregation from early childhood to middle childhood (Leaper, 2022; Mehta & Strough, 2009), and an increase in gender-typed behaviors among same-gender peers and peer scrutiny of GN behaviors (Kowalski, 2007; Martin & Fabes, 2001). Our findings further suggest that reasoning based on gender stereotypes might be associated with older children’s lesser positivity toward peers’ GN behaviors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We included children aged 4-5 and 8-9 years old for several reasons. First, peer gender segregation increases from early childhood and peaks in middle childhood (Leaper, 2022;Mehta & Strough, 2009), and children's behaviors tend to be more gender-typed in same-gender peer groups, partly through modeling and peer scrutinization of GN behaviors This document is copyrighted by the American Psychological Association or one of its allied publishers.…”

Section: The Present Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We included children aged 4–5 and 8–9 years old for several reasons. First, peer gender segregation increases from early childhood and peaks in middle childhood (Leaper, 2022; Mehta & Strough, 2009), and children’s behaviors tend to be more gender-typed in same-gender peer groups, partly through modeling and peer scrutinization of GN behaviors (Kowalski, 2007; Martin & Fabes, 2001). Second, developmental differences in children’s judgment and reasoning about gender norms have been reported in this age range (although with mixed findings; Conry-Murray, 2013; Conry-Murray et al, 2015, 2020; Conry-Murray & Turiel, 2012; Killen & Stangor, 2001), making it important to understand children’s explanations during this developmental period.…”

Section: Developmental and Gender Differences In Children’s Reasoning...mentioning

confidence: 99%

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“He did girls’ things!” Hong Kong and Canadian children’s reasoning about moral judgments of peers’ gendered behaviors.

Kwan,

Shi,

MacMullin

et al. 2024

Developmental Psychology

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Children show less positivity toward gender-nonconforming (GN) than gender-conforming (GC) peers. Yet, little is known about children's reasoning about peers of varying gender expressions, including age-, gender-, and culture-related influences. We investigated how children aged 4-to 5-and 8-to 9-years-old in Hong Kong and Canada (N = 678) reason about their moral judgments of GC and GN peers. After viewing vignettes describing GC and GN boys and girls, we asked children whether each target peer's behavior was right or wrong and why they thought so. We coded children's reasoning using a new coding scheme developed via inductive content analysis. Overall, children's most commonly used reasoning styles were global standard, personal choice, gender stereotypes, "don't know," and others' welfare. Children used more gender stereotype-related reasoning when they were older and from Hong Kong, appraising the GN boy, or when they perceived the target's behavior as wrong. In contrast, children reasoned based on personal choice more when they were from Canada or when they perceived the target's behavior as right. These findings inform how age-, gender-, and culture-related factors are associated with children's reasoning about the acceptability or appropriateness of varying kinds of childhood gendered behavior. They provide insights regarding children's appraisals of different gender expressions by illuminating not only how they view GC and GN peers but also, from their own perspectives, why they do so. These insights have implications for strategies aimed at decreasing gender-related biases and increasing children's acceptance of gender diversity. Public Significance StatementThis study extended prior literature by comparing Hong Kong and Canadian children's reasoning about moral judgments of peers' gendered behaviors using a sample much larger than those reported in prior research. Apart from testing important variables including participant gender, age, and target gender and target gender expression, we gained valuable insights into cultural variations. Our findings can inform future work focused on improving children's appraisals of peer gender nonconformity via strategies that target reasoning styles.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: The Present Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Developmental and Gender Differences In Children’s Reasoning...mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

“He did girls’ things!” Hong Kong and Canadian children’s reasoning about moral judgments of peers’ gendered behaviors.

Kwan,

Shi,

MacMullin

et al. 2024

Developmental Psychology

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show abstract

“…The last comprehensive cross-cultural study that included an investigation of gender segregation was Whiting and Edwards' six cultures study conducted in the 1970s and 1980s. However, continued gender inequality (Ortiz-Ospina & Roser, 2018) and widespread sexual harassment and assault (Fedina et al, 2018) highlight the importance of continuing to investigate this pervasive developmental phenomenon that is associated with sexism (Keener et al, 2013) and gender typing (Leaper, 1994;Maccoby, 1998).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…At best, such beliefs prevent the formation of meaningful connections between cross-gender peers. At worst, such beliefs may perpetuate in-group gender biases (Bigler & Liben, 2007;Leaper, 1994;Maccoby, 1998) and may, in allmale peer groups, promote beliefs of male superiority. Thus, even in a time of changing gender norms, segregation by gender in friendships and acquaintanceships may contribute not only to continued gender inequality and beliefs that men and women are fundamentally different but also to sustaining a larger gendered cultural system in which gender-related harassment and sexual assault continue to occur.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Childhood Gender Segregation in Context: A Cultural Sociocontextual Approach

Mehta

Smith

2022

Review of General Psychology

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Childhood gender segregation, the tendency for children to form acquaintanceships and friendships with those of the same gender (Mehta & Smith, 2019), has been proposed to be a universal phenomenon (Maccoby, 1998; Maccoby & Jacklin, 1974). However, as socialization and peer culture vary cross-culturally (Munroe & Romney, 2006), gender segregation may vary according to cultural context. This paper uses a sociocontextual framework to review cross-cultural comparative research on childhood gender segregation, considering cultural similarities and variations in correlates of gender segregation, including behavioral compatibility, age, the homosocial norm, availability of playmates, familiarity with peers, and gendered societal norms and constraints. In closing, the paper reflects on what cross-cultural research tells us about gender segregation and offers recommendations for future research.

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Gender cognitions before and after graduating from single-sex versus coeducational high schools: A longitudinal study using propensity score matching.

Shi,

Li,

Liben

et al. 2024

Journal of Educational Psychology

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Origins and Consequences of Childhood Gender Segregation: Toward an Integrative Developmental Systems Model

Cited by 5 publications

References 189 publications

“He did girls’ things!” Hong Kong and Canadian children’s reasoning about moral judgments of peers’ gendered behaviors.

“He did girls’ things!” Hong Kong and Canadian children’s reasoning about moral judgments of peers’ gendered behaviors.

Childhood Gender Segregation in Context: A Cultural Sociocontextual Approach

Gender cognitions before and after graduating from single-sex versus coeducational high schools: A longitudinal study using propensity score matching.

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